Miss World 2026 contestants explore Nha Trang Xua Craft Village

On the evening of August 29, 111 contestants and members of the Miss World 2026 Organizing Committee had an exciting experiential trip to Nha Trang Xua Craft Village (Nam Nha Trang ward). Here, the beauties enjoyed folk cuisine, explored traditional craft villages, and immersed themselves in a real-scene show. The activity contributed to promoting the image and cultural beauty of Vietnam to international friends.  

Eager to explore traditional cuisine and handicrafts
Nha Trang Xua Craft Village, with its lotus ponds, banana bushes, thatched roofs, wood stoves, and small boats, recreated the close and familiar scenery of the Vietnamese countryside. Here, the contestants enjoyed rustic dishes associated with the memories of many generations of Vietnamese people in the “Ancient Countryside Buffet” space. The menu included familiar dishes such as: Banh beo (water fern cake), banh hoi (fine rice vermicelli), banh gai (thorn leaf cake) with pandan leaves, boiled shrimp, crab, and snails, crispy fried carp, grilled chicken, com lam (bamboo-tube rice), along with traditional desserts such as: bean sweet soup, taro sweet soup, troi nuoc sweet soup (glutinous rice balls), grilled sweet potatoes, and grilled corn...

The richness of the menu helped the contestants somewhat feel the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine - from rustic countryside dishes and river flavors to coastal specialties and the culinary imprints of many regions. Notably, the dishes selected for introduction were not elaborate but mainly simple flavors close to Vietnamese life. It is this simplicity that creates its own attraction.

According to Ms. Pham Kim Dung - President of Miss World Vietnam, in the journey of exploring a country, cuisine is always one of the closest ways to feel the culture, because behind each dish is a story about the land, ingredients, preparation methods, and living habits. When directly enjoyed, those cultural stories are naturally transmitted through taste and emotion. Therefore, the Miss World 2026 Organizing Committee brought the contestants to visit and experience cuisine at Nha Trang Xua Craft Village.

After the culinary journey, the contestants continued to explore the traditional craft village space. Here, the beauties visited, learned about, and experienced ancient crafts such as: pottery making, mat weaving, fabric weaving, incense making, and making handicrafts from seashells and sea snails... The image of potters, mat weavers, or those performing manual steps showed the ingenuity, patience, and creativity of Vietnamese people in labor. Miss World 2026 contestants took the opportunity to take commemorative photos marking their trip to explore Nha Trang Xua Craft Village.

The experiential activity was also expanded with a visit to the Ao Dai tailoring showroom. For international beauties, Ao Dai is not only an outfit but also a symbol of Vietnamese culture. Learning about the process of making an Ao Dai helps them better understand Vietnamese culture.

Understanding culture and history through real-scene stage

The highlight of the experiential trip was the special art programs. On the lotus pond, the “Summer Colors” performance program brought water dance, Cham dance, folk song singing and dancing, and traditional music performances. Particularly, the real-scene show “Legendary Light” recreated the cultural and historical story of Nha Trang through theatrical language. Through sound, light, and choreography performed on an outdoor stage, the cultural flow of ethnic communities was vividly recreated. Rich Cham dances, Raglai gongs, the image of coastal residents rowing out to sea, fabric weaving, mat weaving under the moonlight next to thatched roofs..., all blended together to create a colorful cultural picture.

It can be said that in the series of activities in Nha Trang over the past few days, the experience at Nha Trang Xua Craft Village has given the contestants a different perspective on Khanh Hoa. In addition to the landscape, seas, and islands, the international beauties also got to know a Khanh Hoa rich in identity through culinary flavors, traditional handicrafts, and cultural stories told through art.

With 111 beauties from many countries and territories, these experiences can become stories they carry with them and share when they return home. An impressive dish, a handicraft product, the image of an Ao Dai, a Cham dance, or a moment in the real-scene show - all can become beautiful memories of Vietnam. This is also an opportunity for Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa to promote the image of a land rich in cultural identity, with the intersection of many communities and a rich cuisine.

The Miss World 2026 final is held in Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, and Khanh Hoa with the participation of 111 contestants from countries and territories around the world. During the days of activities in Khanh Hoa (from August 20 to September 5), the contestants participated in many community-oriented activities such as: Khanh Hoa Provincial Sports Festival; running to call for charity donations; experiencing cultural destinations such as: Po Nagar Cham Towers Special National Relic, Bau Truc pottery village, and participating in competitions: Media Beauty, Talent...

The Miss World 2026 final will be held at April 2 Square, Nha Trang ward, Khanh Hoa province on the evening of September 5. Vietnam's representative Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc (1st Runner-up of Miss World Vietnam 2022, Miss Intercontinental 2022) entered the top 40 outstanding contestants after winning the Top Model competition.

 

XUAN THANH